Immigration debate hits Ohio

Limits to workers comp, in-state tuition proposed at state level

Feb. 9, 2014

Written by

CentralOhio.com

Measuring the population

Ohio’s undocumented immigrant population has stayed fairly steady since at least 2005 but is up dramatically since 2000. Numbers are in thousands.

State

2010

2007

2005

2000

1990

Ohio

100

100

100

55

10

Indiana

110

100

85

65

10

Kentucky

80

45

50

20

5

Michigan

150

120

120

95

25

Pennsylvania

160

140

150

85

25

West Virginia

Less than 10

Less than 10

Less than 10

Less than 10

Less than 5

United States

11,200

12,000

11,100

8,375

3,525

Source: Pew Hispanic Center estimates

Gaining legal residence

The following countries are the most frequent origins of people gaining legal permanent residence in Ohio. Numbers are from 2012.

Country

Immigrants

India

1,534

China, People's Republic

1,039

Ghana

645

Mexico

572

Philippines

529

Total

13,948

Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

More

ADVERTISEMENT

Ohio isn’t Florida or California; undocumented immigrants are less than 1 percent of the state’s population.

But changing how immigrants become citizens would dramatically alter how farmers, professionals, schools and social services operate in the state.

Of the estimated 11.7 million people without legal residency status, about 100,000 call Ohio home — nearly double the 55,000 reported in 2000, according to the Pew Hispanic Center.

The vast majority entered the United States with valid visas but stayed past their expiration date or violated the terms of their admission, according to the Pew Hispanic Center. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed 368,644 undocumented immigrants nationwide in fiscal year 2013, which ended in July. Most were apprehended at the borders, and 82 percent of those removed from inside the United States had prior convictions.

Reform that works for businesses

International students who come to Ohio colleges and universities to study often have challenges staying to work, said Pat Valente, executive director of The International Entrepreneurs Ohio, which advocates for immigration reform among skilled laborers.

Students interested in science, technology, engineering and math could fill gaps when large numbers of scientists in their 50s and 60s retire, Valente said.

“If you go to any college and see students enrolled (in those programs), across the board, but especially in master and Ph.D. programs, they are not from the U.S,” Valente said.

The Ohio Chamber of Commerce also supports increasing the number of visas available to skilled workers, said Sean Chichelli, director of labor and human resources policy.

“It’s a lamentation in the business community. Why can’t we get high skilled workers to stay here and not go home?” Chichelli said.

Infusing more foreign workers into Ohio’s economy could mean native and immigrant Ohioans are fighting for similar jobs, but immigrant entrepreneurs would create business as well, Chichelli said.

“We don’t have concerns that addressing this issue will hurt job prospects of Americans,” said Chichelli, adding that some legislators’ proposals give preference to citizens.

Ohio farmers rely on migrant workers to harvest crops and work with livestock, said Joe Cornely, spokesman for the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. Frequently, Ohio residents can obtain a competitive wage doing a much less physical job so they aren’t interested in the positions, he said.

“Farmers want to be able to comply with the law, but they also need to have willing hired hands to help them get their jobs done,” Cornely said.

Farmers are interested in immigration reform that allows workers to stay for more than a season to reduce turnover, Cornely said.

State legislators tackle immigration

In August, Sen. Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati, reintroduced a bill that would prevent illegal immigrants from receiving benefits or compensation from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, saving the state insurance fund money.

Companies would be liable only if they knew immigrants were working illegally, according to the proposed legislation, co-sponsored by Sen. Dave Burke, R-Marysville, and Sen. Tim Schaffer, R-Lancaster.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio opposes the bill, saying it doesn’t protect workers and could encourage more use of illegal immigrants if companies know they’re less likely to be sued for injuries.

Another bill, introduced in the Ohio House, would limit funds available for undocumented immigrants who seek in-state tuition.

Currently, children younger than 16 brought into the United States illegally by their parents are approved work permits under a federal program and are eligible for in-state tuition. The proposed legislation would prohibit the Board of Regents from granting in-state tuition to such children.

The Board of Regents does not track how many students that would affect.